Kate Middleton has missed having Prince George at home since his move to boarding school, according to a shopper who spoke with her during a royal outing.
Denise Ashton, 68, shared that account with the Press Association after the princess approached her table at Café 98 in Hoveton, Norfolk, on October 22. Their conversation turned to the approaching school holidays.
George, 13, began attending Eton College in September, following his father, Prince William. His younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8, remain at Lambrook, where the three previously studied together.
The surprise café stop supported East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, known as EACH. Kate has been its royal patron since January 2012, and the visit gave her a chance to hear from the volunteers who help fund its care.
Kate Says She ‘Can’t Wait’ to Have All Three Children Home
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In another exchange, a child told Kate that Thursday was his final day of school before the holidays. The princess responded with some enthusiasm of her own. “My children break up tomorrow, and I can’t wait to have them all home,” she said, according to HELLO!.
Her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were looking forward to the break too. In a short video shared by the magazine, Kate described the holidays as an opportunity to catch up on family life.
Eton’s Long Leave Gives George More Than Two Weeks Off
The school’s official calendar lists autumn Long Leave from October 23 through November 8. It is George’s first extended break at Eton, although the schedule already included shorter opportunities to leave campus. Students had Short Leave from October 2 to 4 and an optional weekend away in September.
Eton’s boarding arrangements allow regular contact with families. Parents can attend sporting events, concerts and other activities, and some take their sons out on Sunday afternoons.
Each boy has his own room in a boarding house of approximately 55 pupils. A housemaster and dame oversee daily life, while older students help newcomers settle into their house communities.
Kate Inspects a Charity-Shop Find and a Moth-Damaged Coat
While speaking with Essie Landsborough, 75, Kate examined the shopper’s purchase: port-sipper glasses shaped like tobacco pipes. “I love going round a charity shop,” the princess told her, recalling the shops she visited while studying at the University of St Andrews. She compared browsing the donations to a treasure hunt.
Upstairs, volunteer Christine Rich showed Kate how donated clothing was checked and sorted. An expensive-looking coat had suffered moth damage, earning a disappointed response before it went into the pile for imperfect items.
The retail operation provides substantial support for EACH. Its 58 shops are expected to contribute approximately £3 million to the charity during 2026.
Café 98 opened in November 2024. Its name commemorates the 1998 merger of Quidenham and Milton children’s hospices that created the organization.
Kate Returns to the Hospice Where She Made Her First Royal Speech
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Earlier in the day, Kate visited The Treehouse in Ipswich, Suffolk. She officially opened the hospice in March 2012, delivering her first public speech as a member of the royal family.
During a music therapy session, 13-year-old Charlotte Freegard sang Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” while Kate listened beside the piano. “Charlotte, that was beautifully sung. Well done you,” she said, according to ITV News.
Kate also explored a sensory room with special lighting, a water bed and a projector. She met bereaved families who described the importance of continued support after a child’s death, including help for siblings.
The Treehouse Expansion Will Give Families More Space Together
Wearing a hard hat and high-visibility jacket, Kate toured construction work on additional care and family facilities. The charity’s expansion plans explain how a larger hydrotherapy pool will let whole families swim together. A private entrance to the new wellbeing and therapies suite will allow bereaved relatives to reach support without crossing the hospice’s care floor.
A separate activity area will help prevent family events from being canceled when another child is receiving end-of-life care. The development also includes a dedicated teenage space, another bedroom and expanded kitchen and dining facilities. In its October 23 update, EACH said it still needed to raise £1.4 million to complete the project by spring 2028.
